From Big Beers & Swamp Water to Dewey Devils & Shark Attacks: 13 must-try Delaware drinks
With about 2,000 restaurants in Delaware, there are plenty of places to grab a bite and a drink to go with it.
But some of those dining rooms and bars especially stand out when it comes to their libations.
In fact, our little state has its fair share of must-try alcoholic beverages, ranging from the iconic to newer sippables that have caught our tongues in recent years.
Whether you're into cocktails, beers or even booze-filled slushies, you'll find some good ones across the First State.
With the holidays upon us, you may find yourself at one of these special spots. If so, be sure to try a stand-out drink and thank us later.
Lewes Oyster House's Mure Margarita. 108 Second St., Lewes. Opened just last year, it's not only the food menu at the "tavern by the sea" that has the joint bustling. This drink also has its own followers, made with Libelula joven tequila, Grand Marnier, crème de mûre blackberry liqueur, lime juice, agave nectar and ghost pepper tincture. lewesoyster.com
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Columbus Inn's Moscow Mule. 2216 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, If you want to break out the velvet elbows, try saddling up to Columbus Inn's bar and blast back to 1950s America. The Inn's Moscow Mule ― vodka, lime juice, ginger simple syrup and seltzer ― is not served in a traditional copper mug, but rather in a highball glass. columbusinn.net
Salted Vines’ Wine Slushy. 32512 Blackwater Road, Frankford. Slurpee-style wine? Yes, please. This summertime favorite comes in several flavors: red sangria, white sangria and a "sangria swirl" combining the two. But it's also on the menu in the colder months. And there is a "special of the month" called the "Spicy Pilgrim" with a cinnamon-y flavor. saltedvines.com
Grotto Pizza's Big Beer. Various locations. Even though the size of Grotto's Big Beer has shrunk to 22 ounces over across most locations over the years, it's still the iconic drink order at Delaware's most iconic pizza joint. Drinking oversized beers using a heavy glass mug with a handle in Delaware means one thing: Grotto. grottopizza.com
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Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA. Rehoboth Beach and Milton. It's been 28 years since Dogfish Head first opened, helping usher the craft brewing scene in Delaware. So many beers have come and gone in those years, but their 60 Minute IPA is still an old standby. For many, all it takes is one sip of the 6% ABV brew to be transported to the early years of the state's craft beer revolution. www.dogfish.com
The Boondocks' Swamp Water. 825 Lighthouse Road, Smyrna. It almost glows bright green, but it's not radioactive. If you're brave enough to order one, Boondocks' Swamp Water comes in handy mason jar. Expect something close to a "traditional" Swamp Water drink found in drink recipe books: a mix that usually includes flavored brandy and vodka. boondocksde.com
The Back Porch Café's Dark and Stormy. 59 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach. Tucked away off Rehoboth Avenue, you'll find a drink that will make you feel like Christopher Columbus if you discover it. The café's signature drink is made with homemade ginger beer and dark rum, of course. backporchcafe.com
Agave Mexican Restaurant's margarita. Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. People wait outside in the heat on summer nights not only for Agave's mouth-watering Mexican dishes and gulp-able salsa, but also for the stone cold margaritas. An hour wait for a drink? It happens on Second Street in Lewes and now out on Route 1 near Rehoboth Beach. They are just that good. agaverestaurants.com
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The Starboard's Bullshark. 2009 Route 1, Dewey Beach. Sure, the Orange Crush sells better than the Bullshark ever can in the alcohol-soaked wonderland known as The Starboard. But the bar's under-the-radar longtime drink has more of a kick, mixing orange and raspberry vodkas, champagne, Red Bull and orange and cranberry juices. thestarboard.com
northbeach's Dewey Devil. 125 McKinley St., Dewey Beach. You know the Dewey Devil has done its job when you put the drink down and grab your head like it's exploding. The frozen pink drink may result in brain freeze, but it gets the job done just like it has for generations of real-life Dewey devils. Light rum, 151-proof rum, blackberry brandy, orange juice, strawberries and cream make the Dewey Devil just so devilish. deweybeachlife.com
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Nalu's The Wipe-Out. Dewey and Rehoboth beaches. You'll need some friends and extra straws for this bad boy: a 144-ounce concoction made with Parrot Bay coconut, pineapple and passion fruit rums mixed with orange, pineapple and cranberry juices. It'll be sloshing around in a souvenir Nalu bucket. Uber ride not included. nalusurfbar.com
Mango Mikes' Shark Attack. 97 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach. With a view of Bethany Beach's Boardwalk and dolphins leaping out of the Atlantic Ocean, it almost makes drinking alcohol out of a fishbowl seem not so weird. You'll want to share this one with a friend or four: 64 ounces of rum, blue curacao, fruit juices in a fishbowl swimming with plastic sharks. mangomikes.com
Bottle & Cork's Big Guy. 1807 Route 1, Dewey Beach. A relic of sorts, The Big Guy was on the drink menu at the Cork for years, but it was eventually taken off when people started getting a bit too drunk. If you find a veteran bartender in a good mood and you're feeling spry, they'll mix one up for you: Captain Morgan rum, vodka, crème de almond and Grenadine mixed with with orange and pineapple juices. deweybeachlife.com
Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and X (@ryancormier).
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Small state with big drinks: Try these Delaware cocktails and beers
